Wednesday, January 1, 2014

MUST READ: PRESIDENT GOODLUCK EBELE JONATHAN's NEW YEAR MESSAGE TO NIGERIA

Dear Compatriots,

I greet and felicitate with you all as we enter the year 2014 which
promises to be a momentous one for our country for several reasons,
including the fact that it is also the year of our great nation’s
centenary celebrations. I join you all in giving thanks to God Almighty
for guiding us and our beloved nation safely through all the challenges
of the outgoing year to the beginning of 2014.

Exactly 100 years ago today, on January 1, 1914, the British
Colonial authorities amalgamated what was then the separate
Protectorates of Southern Nigeria and Northern Nigeria, giving birth to
the single geopolitical entity known as Nigeria. For us therefore,
today is not just the beginning of a new year, but the end of a century
of national existence and the beginning of another. It is a moment for
sober reflection and for pride in all that is great about Nigeria.

Whatever challenges we may have faced, whatever storms we may have
confronted and survived, Nigeria remains a truly blessed country, a
country of gifted men and women who continue to distinguish themselves
in all spheres of life, a country whose diversity remains a source of
strength. We pay tribute today, as always to our founding fathers and
mothers, and all the heroes and heroines whose toil and sweat over the
century made this country what it is today.

As I noted, a few days ago, the amalgamation of 1914 was certainly
not a mistake but a blessing. As we celebrate 100 years of nationhood,
we must resolve to continue to work together as one, united people, to
make our country even greater.

I assure you that our administration remains fully committed to the
progressive development of our country and the consolidation of peace,
unity and democratic governance in our fatherland. Despite several
continuing domestic and global challenges, for us in Nigeria, the year
2013 witnessed many positive developments which we will strive to build
upon in 2014.

We have diligently carried forward the purposeful and focused
implementation of our agenda for national transformation in priority
areas such as power, the rehabilitation and expansion of national
infrastructure, agricultural development, education and employment
generation.

You may recall that our 2013 Budget was on the theme, “Fiscal
Consolidation with Inclusive Growth”, and I emphasized the need for us
to “remain prudent with our fiscal resources and also ensure that the
Nigerian economy keeps growing and creating jobs”. I am pleased to
report that we have stayed focused on this goal.

Our national budget for 2014 which is now before the National Assembly
is specifically targeted at job creation and inclusive growth. We are
keenly aware that in spite of the estimated 1.6 million new jobs
created across the country in the past 12 months as a result of our
actions and policies, more jobs are still needed to support our growing
population. Our economic priorities will be stability and equitable
growth, building on the diverse sectors of our economy.

In 2013, we commenced implementation of the National Industrial
Revolution Plan (NIRP) aimed at industrializing Nigeria and
diversifying our economy into sectors such as agro-processing, light
manufacturing, and petrochemicals. We have also negotiated a strong
Common External Tariff (CET) agreement with our ECOWAS partners which
would enable us to protect our strategic industries where necessary.

I am pleased to note that as a result of our backward integration
policies, Nigeria has moved from a country that produced 2 million
metric tonnes of cement in 2002, to a country that now has a capacity
of 28.5 million metric tonnes. For the first time in our history, we
have moved from being a net importer of cement to a net exporter.
Foreign direct investment into Nigeria has also been strong. In fact,
for the second year running, the UN Conference on Trade and Development
has named Nigeria as the number 1 destination for investments in Africa.

We are witnessing a revolution in the agricultural sector and the
results are evident. We have tackled corruption in the input
distribution system as many farmers now obtain their fertilizers and
seeds directly through an e-wallet system. In 2013, 4.2 million farmers
received subsidized inputs via this programme. This scheme has restored
dignity to our farmers.

Last year we produced over 8 million metric tonnes of additional
food; and this year, inflation fell to its lowest level since 2008
partly due to higher domestic food production. Our food import bill has
also reduced from N1.1 trillion in 2011, to N648 billion in 2012,
placing Nigeria firmly on the path to food self-sufficiency.

The sector is also supporting more jobs. Last year, we produced 1.1
million metric tonnes of dry season rice across 10 Northern states; and
over 250,000 farmers and youths in these States are now profitably
engaged in farming even during the dry season.

This Administration is also developing our water resources which are
key for both our food production and job creation goals. In 2013, we
completed the construction of nine dams which increased the volume of
our water reservoirs by 422 million cubic metres. Through our
irrigation and drainage programme, we have increased the total
irrigated area by over 31,000 hectares creating jobs for over 75,000
farming families while increasing production of over 400,000 metric
tons of assorted irrigated food products.

Fellow Compatriots, I have always believed that the single greatest
thing we can do to ensure all Nigerians realize their potential and
play a full part in our nation’s future, is to invest in education. The
education of our young people is a key priority for this Government. We
take this responsibility very seriously and I urge all other
stakeholders in the sector to recognize the national importance of
their work, and to help advance the cause of education in our nation.

Between 2007 and 2013, we have almost tripled the allocation for
education from N224 billion to N634 billion – and we will continue to
vigorously support the sector. We have improved access to education in
the country with the construction of 125 Almajiri schools, and the
establishment of three additional Federal Universities in the North,
bringing to twelve, the number of universities established by this
administration.

In 2013, we rehabilitated 352 laboratories and constructed 72 new
libraries in the Federal Unity Schools; and also rehabilitated
laboratories of all the 51 Federal and State polytechnics across the
country.

In the Health sector, we are building strong safety nets and
improving access to primary health care under the Saving One Million
Lives programme. In 2013, we recruited 11,300 frontline health workers
who were deployed to under-served communities across the country. Over
400,000 lives have been saved through our various interventions. We
have reached over 10,000 women and children with conditional cash
transfer programmes across 8 States and the FCT and we intend to scale
up this successful initiative.

Our national immunization coverage has exceeded 80%. And for the
first time in the history of the country there has not been any
transmission of the Type-3 Wild Polio virus for more than one year.We
have also eradicated the guinea worm that previously affected the lives
of over 800,000 Nigerians yearly. In tertiary health care, we upgraded
medical facilities across the country. Two of our teaching hospitals –
the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital in Enugu, and the
University College Hospital in Ibadan – commenced open heart surgeries
this year after the installation of new facilities.

Fellow Nigerians, I have dwelt on some of our administration’s
achievements in 2013 to reassure you that we are working and results
are being achieved on the ground. As we enter our Centennial year,
there is still much work ahead. We are determined to sustain our strong
macroeconomic fundamentals, to strengthen our domestic institutions,
and to invest in priority sectors. These investments will create more
jobs for our youth. Government will at the same time, continue to
scale-up investments in safety nets and the MDGs to take care of the
poor and the vulnerable so that they too can share in our growth and
prosperity.

In 2014, we will continue to prioritize investments in key sectors
such as infrastructure development, power, roads, rail transportation
and aviation. In the past year, the Federal Government completed the
privatization of four power generation companies and 10 power
distribution companies. We are also in the process of privatizing 10
power plants under the National Integrated Power Projects (NIPP).

We shall boost investments in transmission to ensure power generated is
properly evacuated and distributed. In this regard, we have already
mobilized an additional $1.5 billion for the upgrade of the
transmission network in 2014 and beyond. Government will also
strengthen regulation of the sector, and closely monitor electricity
delivery to increase this beyond 18 hours per day. We will complete the
privatization of the NIPP projects, accelerate work on our gas pipeline
infrastructure and also continue to invest in hydro-electric power and
clean energy as we monitor the effects of climate change on our economy.

Our administration believes that the cost of governance in the country
is still too high and must be further reduced. We will also take
additional steps to stem the tide of corruption and leakages. We have
worked hard to curb fraud in the administration of the pension system
and the implementation of the petroleum subsidy scheme. We have
introduced a Pensions Transition Arrangement Department under a new
Director-General. This department will now ensure that those of our
pensioners still under the old scheme receive their pensions and
gratuities, and are not subjected to fraud. Prosecution of all those
involved in robbing our retired people will continue. The Petroleum
Subsidy Scheme is also now being operated under new strict guidelines
to tackle previous leakages in the scheme and prevent fraud.

Foreign travel by government personnel will be further curtailed. This
directive shall apply to all Ministries, Departments and Agencies of
the Federal Government. Our strategy to curb leakages will increasingly
rely on introducing the right technologies such as biometrics and
digitizing government payments.

I am therefore pleased to inform you that we shall complete the
deployment of the three electronic platforms in 2014 – namely,
theTreasury Single Account (TSA), theGovernment Integrated Financial
Management Information System(GIFMIS) and the Integrated Payroll and
Personnel Information System (IPPIS) – which are all geared towards
improving efficiency and transparency in our public finances. Through
these reforms, we have already saved about N126 billion in leaked funds
and intend to save more.

To sustain Nigeria’s ongoing agricultural transformation, we have
planned further investments in the sector. We will provide input
subsidies to five million farmers nationwide using the e-wallet system.
This Administration recently launched a self-employment initiative
under theYouth Employment in Agriculture Programme (YEAP), called the
Nagropreneur programme. This scheme would encourage our youth to go
into commercial agriculture as entrepreneurs and we plan to develop
over 750,000 youngNagropreneurs by 2015.

We will also establish new agro-industrial clusters to complement the
staple crop processing zones being developed across the country.In
2014, this Administration will continue to work with the private sector
to improve financing in the agricultural sector. For example, we will
launch the Fund for Agricultural Finance in Nigeria(FAFIN) which will
serve as a private equity fund to invest in agri-businesses across the
country.

Our Small and Medium scale enterprises (SMEs) will be the bedrock of
Nigeria’s industrialization. We have about 17 million registered SMEs,
and they employ over 32 million Nigerians. When our SMEs grow, more
jobs will be created for our youth. Therefore, in 2014, this
Administration will focus strongly on implementing the Nigeria
Enterprise Development Programme (NEDEP) to address the needs of small
businesses. Our interventions will include helping SMEs with access to
affordable finance, business development services, and youth training.
In addition, our new CET policies will enable us to support our
emerging industries.

We will also intensify our investment promotion efforts abroad, to
ensure we bring the biggest and best companies from around the world to
invest in Nigeria.

Dear Compatriots, the housing and construction industry is a critical
sector in most developed economies. When the housing sector booms, it
creates additional jobs for architects and masons, for electricians and
plumbers, for painters and interior decorators, and for those in the
cement and furniture industries.

Today, I am pleased to inform you that this Administration is
reinvigorating our housing and construction sector. We have established
the Nigeria Mortgage Refinance Company (NMRC) which will increase
liquidity in the housing sector, provide a secondary market for
mortgages, and thereby increase the number of people able to purchase
or build homes at an affordable price in the country.

In 2014, we will work in a number of pilot states where the State
Governors have agreed to provide fast-track land titles, foreclosure
arrangements, and serviced plots. This new institution will enable us
to create over 200,000 mortgages over the next five years at affordable
interest rates. In addition, those at the lower end of the economic
ladder will not be left behind as this new initiative will expand mass
housing schemes through a re-structured Federal Mortgage Bank and other
institutions to provide rent-to-own and lease-to-own options. I am
confident that very soon, many more hardworking Nigerian families will
be able to realize their dream of owning a home.

In this our centenary year, we will continue our efforts, through
the Saving One Million Lives initiative to strengthen primary health
care services. We will scale up interventions in reproductive,
maternal, newborn and child health, nutrition, routine immunization,
HIV/AIDS, malaria elimination, tuberculosis, neglected tropical
diseases, and non-communicable diseases. We will pay greater attention
to the provision of universal health coverage. Besides the
implementation of new initiatives such as my comprehensive response
plan for HIV/AIDS, we shall continue to collaborate with global health
partners to deliver our health sector transformation agenda.

I am glad that the issues responsible for the long-drawn ASUU strike
have been resolved and our children are returning to their campuses. We
are committed to making our tertiary institutions true centers of
learning for our young people. We will therefore focus on upgrading
hostels, laboratories, classrooms, and halls. As the 2015 deadline for
the Millennium Development Goals approaches, we will continue to expand
access to basic education for all Nigerian children. Working with State
Governments, we shall decisively tackle the problem of the large
numbers of out-of-school children in this country. We will also invest
in technical and vocational education to promote skills development for
our youth across the country.

Nigerian entrepreneurs still lack access to affordable financing, with
medium-to-long-term tenors. To address this gap, a new wholesale
development finance institution will be established in 2014 to provide
medium-to long-term financing for Nigerian businesses. We are working
with partners such as the World Bank, the Africa Development Bank, the
BNDES Bank in Brazil, and KfW in Germany, to realize this project. Our
existing Bank of Agriculture and Bank of Industry will be re-structured
as specialized institutions to retail financing from this new wholesale
development bank.

In addition to the foregoing, our administration will also do all
within its powers to ensure the success of the forthcoming National
Conference. The report of the Presidential Advisory Committee on the
Conference is undergoing urgent review and the approved structure,
guidelines and modalities for the conference will soon be published as
a prelude to its commencement and expeditious conclusion.

It remains our sincere hope and expectation that the success of the
national conference will further enhance national unity, peace and
cohesion as we move ahead to the 2015 general elections.

In keeping with our avowed commitment to progressively enhancing the
credibility of Nigeria’s electoral process by consistently upholding
the principle of one man, one vote, our Administration will also ensure
that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) receives all
required support to ensure that it is adequately prepared for the next
general elections.

As peace and security remain prerequisite conditions for the full
realization of our objectives, we will also do more in 2014 to further
empower our security agencies who are working in collaborative
partnerships with our friends in the international community to stem
the scourge of terrorism in our country and enhance the security of
lives and property in all parts of Nigeria. The allocation of over N600
Billion to Defence and Policing in the 2014 Budget attests to this
commitment.

Fellow compatriots, the task of making our dear nation a much better
place for present and future generations cannot be left to government
alone. I therefore urge you all to be ready and willing to do more this
year to support the implementation of the Federal Government’s Agenda
for National Transformation in every possible way.

Let us all therefore resolve as we celebrate the new year, and
Nigeria’s Centenary, to place the higher interests of national unity,
peace, stability and progress above all other considerations and work
harder in our particular fields of human endeavour to contribute more
significantly to the attainment of our collective aspirations. I urge
all Nigerians, no matter their stations in life, to rededicate
themselves to contributing meaningfully to further enrich our national
heritage. The time for that re-dedication is now, not tomorrow.

I wish you all a happy and rewarding 2014. God bless Nigeria. Happy New Year.Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFRPresident,
Federal Republic of Nigeria
December 31, 2013